About Mick Fealty

Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

Mick, I agree with you that he has credibility, and this speculation has been doing the rounds for months. I think I first read about it last September/October.

Indeed he has credibility, but what I find so depressing about bring back these old faces is the absolute disconnect between politicians and the electorate. That George Osborne has so poor a public profile, that when he got in his spate with Mandelson on the yacht, most I’m sure didn’t even know who he was.

And you’re right, it is the economy. But I suspect Europe should come into focus. Not only because of Clarkes differing views, but for economic reasons too.

frustrated democrat

Clarke is possibly a dangerous choice in that he might indicate that there is a shortage of competent younger people for the shadow front bench, whilst at the same time having differring views from the party on Europe and the EU Constitution or whatever it is called now.

However on the positive side he is well known and widely respected and is likely to play well outside the party faithful, I think he will add gravitas to the message that is already there; that Brown took over his successful economic legacy and destroyed it with profligate spending and has got the country into debt.

So, in summary, as long as he does not publicly push his European views then he will add significantly to the front bench team, with the downside being that he might make them look much less experienced than he.